While the invention has other applications, one of the most important is to hold endotracheal, gastrointestinal and other tubes, and to fix their position relative to the patient in which such tubes are inserted. Those tubes enter at the patient's nostril or mouth and must be fixed to the patient to insure against unwanted change in the degree of insertion. If the patient is going to be able to move, the point of fixation must be right at the nose or mouth. Most of the practical holders include an adhesive patch to which a tube clamp is fixed.
A widely accepted and successful tube holder is shown in Beran U.S. Pat. No. 4,114,626. Its clamp is a two-piece structure which is easily applied to, and readily removed from, patient and tube. It is intended primarily for use with infants--with small diameter tubes and a limited number of sizes. Each holder is designed for only one tube size.
The ideal tube holder for adult patients would be adjustable or otherwise, arranged so that one holder would accommodate many tube sizes. The need for positive clamping is no less, and, indeed, is often greater in the case of adult patients because adult patients move more and they subject the tube and holder to greater forces than do infants.
Another requirement for the adult tube holder is that it be easy for the medical technician and nurse to install and to remove, and difficult for the patient to remove. While difficulty of removal by a patient is not an often needed feature, it is important in certain cases. Thus, the ideal tube holder is one that exhibits that difference in case of removal.
These holders include an adhesive surface or other attachment means including straps and hook and fabric arrangements, and are used next to the patient's nose and mouth. Cleaning is not practical so the holder is a throw-away product. The ideal holder is designed for production at very low cost, and presents minimum quality, storage, sterilization and packaging problems. The Beran holder of Pat. No. 4,114,626 meets these tests but, at least in adult sizes, the holder provided by this invention is best.
Many applications do not require the adhesive surface. The novel locking arrangement of the invention provides a clamping structure having wide utility for binding and clamping.